1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for the manufacture of titanium disulfide by the vapor phase reaction of titanium tetrachloride and a sulfur containing gas.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Previously, titanium disulfide has been manufactured by reacting titanium metal with sulfur in a sealed container at red heat. British Pat. No. 878,101 discloses the reaction of titanium tetrachloride with hydrogen sulfide in the presence of water vapor to produce titanium disulfide. The reaction is achieved by introducing the reactants through concentrically arranged jets such that the reactants mix together on issuing from their respective jets. Alternatively, the reactants can be introduced into a bed of fluidized particles. The tendency of the titanium disulfide product to form hard deposits or crusts within the reactor constitutes a serious difficulty in both types of reactions. In the first instance, the deposits are on the walls of the reactor, especially in the region of the inlet jets. When a fluidized bed is used, the deposits are mainly in the form of a hard coating on the particles that make up the bed. These deposits can lead to blockage of the reactor.
French Pat. No. 1,558,050 discloses carrying out the reaction in a mechanically moved bed of titanium disulfide particles, such as a stirred bed reactor.
German Pat. No. 1,224,288 discloses the introduction of titanium tetrachloride and hydrogen sulfide into a fluid bed of titanium disulfide granules having an average particle size diameter of not less than 0.1 mm with a linear velocity sufficient to suspend the titanium disulfide granules.
The basic difficulty in these processes is the necessity to grind or otherwise mechanically powder the titanium disulfide granules produced to achieve a finely divided titanium disulfide product.